Worst writing blog ever

Now that the self-deprecation is out of the way, it’s time to get serious again.

(He says in an unsatisfactorily-short blog post whilst remembering how neglected this blog has been).

Reading a friend’s manuscript, cont.

I’ve had a few people ask about the friend whose story I’m reading. His name is Christopher Ochs and this is the second book he’s completed.

Here is his first: http://www.amazon.com/Boathouse-Christopher-Ochs/dp/1438221169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304088326&sr=1-1

The Western flavor of the new one is more attuned to my liking, though I have read the romance that is The Boathouse at least 3 times.

I’m still reading the new manuscript, though why I haven’t finished is no commentary on the work itself. I’ve just been busy with (insert lame excuse here). But it’s travelled with me since I turned the first page, meaning that it smells of campfire smoke, is slightly wrinkled from pouring rain, and may have a small food stain. And of course, a few handwritten notes in my characteristic sticks-n-slashes handwriting.

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Reading a friend’s manuscript

I”ll be reading a friend’s manuscript tonight. I’m kind of excited because I enjoy reading people’s rough drafts. It’s a great way to see into the writing process of others and it helps me polish my own editing and storytelling skills. But more than that, it’s a way to re-inspire me. I’ve found that, aside from a brand new idea popping into my head, reading what someone else is doing is like throwing gasoline on a fire. I’ve done some of my best writing after reading or discussing a friend’s work.

His story is a Western that he’s been working on for a couple years. We haven’t talked about it much since he first told me was starting it–aside from brief conversations about how it was going–so I’m coming to it fresh (meaning, I won’t be able to tell whether anything has changed from his original concept, which can be distracting).

This comes at a great time for me since I’m kicking around a Western story of my own. Neither one of us are actually Western enthusiasts (purists?), though I grew up on John Wayne movies and Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. And he has done research of his own during the writing of his book. This can be both good and bad. Both of us could bring a fresh perspective to the genre, though at the same time, we might miss the things that the great Western stories always have. We’ll see.

Now I just need to find a cozy spot.

–M

PS: Ugh, my writing this morning is like a washboard gravel road. Need more coffee.

Damned Dusty update

A few characters are being fleshed out in my mind, but the difficulty is not falling into the beloved clichés of the Western genre. There will be no white hats, no hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold characters, and no mustachioed bad guys.

The hero himself is a bit of a villain, but not the villain. I haven’t determined his Civil War loyalties, though I know he found himself on the wrong side with both factions.

There will be a love interest–probably more than one. I do not consider him a ladies’ man, however. He’s a huricane that just happens to make landfall sometimes.

Oh, and no tumbleweeds.

That Damned Dusty Man

I started working on a new story last night during the Oscars. It’s in my head right now, but will soon solidify into actual words on a page. I can always tell when it’s a story I’m going to write down because it sticks in my head–it doesn’t fade like an unimportant daily encounter. It was there when I woke up today and as I showered. I dwelled on it as I drove to work. I’ve been thinking about it at my desk today, too.

The working title, That Damned Dusty Man, popped into my head last night as I again thought about how few Westerns are made anymore. I don’t have a character name yet, aside from his description in the title. But I have some background already. I know how his life ends and the story starts with that.

Most of my writing so far has centered around horror, fantasy, or children’s, though I’ve scrawled out some notes over the years with ideas for Western plot points. We’ll see where it goes from here.

Writing again…

It’s been over 10 months since I wrote anything here. And honestly, it’s been nearly that long since I did any, what I consider for myself, serious writing. Excuse, excuse, excuse….blah blah blah. Trying to change that.

Shortly, I’ll be posting a 2,300-word note I put on Facebook about gay marriage. It’s not fiction, like most of the other writing I do, but it hopefully conveys the same passion, as well as writing ability, that I think I showcase in my other works. We’ll see.

StrengthsFinder

When I worked as a corporate employee, we took Gallup’s StrengthsFinder to determine our, well, strengths. I expected a bunch of fortune cookie nonsense, but as soon as I saw the results, I was a believer. I include them here because I feel they give another insight into my writing style. Here are my top 6.

Ideation: I love ideas and creating new ones. I’m always looking for another way to do things. I’ll never run out of story ideas. Promise.

Strategic: I like to take the info I have at my disposal and form a plan, though it’s probably different than the way others do it. Great for writing, nonetheless.

Input: I like to gather data and info. I loved maps and encyclopedias as a child. You should see me research something that interests me, especially when writing.

Intellection: I like to think about things. A lot. Yeah, that blank stare is me writing or rewriting a story in my head.

Context: I like to know the “why”. Used to drive my dad nuts when it came to his rules. Explains my love of history and backstory.

Learner: I have an endless thirst for knowledge and a desire to constantly improve myself.